OT Don't blow your nose in Scotland.

[gamekeeper]

A motorist has told Sky News of his disbelief at being fined for blowing his nose while his vehicle was at a standstill.
Michael Mancini had stopped his van in traffic and wiped his nose with a handkerchief.

When he moved off, he was pulled over by police who told him he had not been in control of his vehicle.

Mr Mancini, from Ayrshire, was handed a £60 fixed penalty and given three points on his driving licence.

He told Sky News: "I thought they were joking and that it was a wind-up.

"I was stopped in traffic and had the handbrake on and thought to myself, 'Ive just got time to blow my nose.'

"Then police pulled me over and I was booked. I genuinely thought they were joking, that it was a wind-up."

The incident occurred in October, but Mr Mancini has refused to pay the penalty.

His solicitor wrote to prosecutors earlier this month explaining the offence could not have occurred because Mr Mancini's handbrake was on.

But prosecutors replied the next day warning that if the fine wasn't paid, the case would be taken to court.

Mr Mancini added: "I intend taking this all the way to court. I still don't believe it actually happened."

A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: "A 39-year-old man is the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with an alleged traffic offence on October 26."

I SOMETIMES WONDER HOW MUCH LOWER BRITAIN CAN SINK INTO THE SEA OF STUPIDITY.

[C. Cash]

My goodness. At least they didn't charge him with the negligent discharge of a double barrelled weapon. It's a very short hop from nose blowing to there, don't ya know.

[Nath]

The sea of stupidity is very deep my friend and the polit beurau and it's hench men are just the type to take us deeper.

Viva revolution!

Nath.

[Borregos]

Wow

[preventec47]

I got a ticket for speeding while legally passing
last year that I sucessfully fought in superior court
with a jury trial.

I didnt win on legal merit, I just appealed to common
sense of the jury.

[gamekeeper]

I got a ticket for speeding while legally passing
last year that I sucessfully fought in superior court
with a jury trial.

I didnt win on legal merit, I just appealed to common
sense of the jury.

I wouldn't count on common sense too much over here!

[Old Savage]

Oh, I don't know, you could elect Obama or Hillary.

[nemhed]

Maybe be it really is time for the people of GB to put on their Guy Fawkes masks!

[Rusty]

You took a speeding ticket to a jury trial??

Man if they'd have found you guilty I'd hate to see the court costs on that one.

[Pisgah]

You took a speeding ticket to a jury trial??

Man if they'd have found you guilty I'd hate to see the court costs on that one.

What happens around here, particularly if the prosecution's case is a "wobbler" like that speeding charge, is that the charge gets dropped before it goes to trial.

A small nearby town moved it's speed limit signs -- illegally -- outside the town limits and literally a mile in to the next county last summer. I came along, unawares, and got a ticket for 4 mph over the limit. I sent the court a letter demanding a jury trial. A week later, the charge was dropped. Seems the arresting officer "knew" he was going to be "out of town" on my court date and would not be able to appear at trial. Strange, as the trial date hadn't been set yet -- but, never look a gift horse in the mouth!

Fact is, although that town has collected a lot of bond money, they have yet to take a single one of those cases to court. They know darned good and well they won't win, so if it is challenged, it's dropped. I will admit we need traffic laws of some kind, but some of the ones we have now are very easily turned in to moneymakers by some municipalities which know that most folks are intimidated by going to court, and will just post bond and never appear, effectively pleading guilty.

[Otto]

You took a speeding ticket to a jury trial??

Man if they'd have found you guilty I'd hate to see the court costs on that one.

What happens around here, particularly if the prosecution's case is a "wobbler" like that speeding charge, is that the charge gets dropped before it goes to trial.

A small nearby town moved it's speed limit signs -- illegally -- outside the town limits and literally a mile in to the next county last summer. I came along, unawares, and got a ticket for 4 mph over the limit. I sent the court a letter demanding a jury trial. A week later, the charge was dropped. Seems the arresting officer "knew" he was going to be "out of town" on my court date and would not be able to appear at trial. Strange, as the trial date hadn't been set yet -- but, never look a gift horse in the mouth!

Fact is, although that town has collected a lot of bond money, they have yet to take a single one of those cases to court. They know darned good and well they won't win, so if it is challenged, it's dropped. I will admit we need traffic laws of some kind, but some of the ones we have now are very easily turned in to moneymakers by some municipalities which know that most folks are intimidated by going to court, and will just post bond and never appear, effectively pleading guilty.

I got a ticket last spring for 35 in a 25, even though I pointed out the 35mph sign to the retard who stopped me. I requested a trial. They set the trial for a date on which I would be out of state on military orders. I called and explained that to the clerk's assistant, she said tough. Long, drawn-out Abbott and Costello conversation. Finally, she said she would talk to the clerk and get back to me. A couple days later, the clerk called me at 530pm and told me I had to appear at 6pm. I live two hours from the courthouse in question. She said, either show up now, show up on the original trial date, give her a credit card payment right then, or a warrant would be issued.

[Doc Hudson]

When i first saw the post, i figured the tru charge might have been 'Driving While Being English." But since the man is from Ayrshire, I'll have to write it of as sheer stupidity of the police.

You and Nath really need to escape before y'all get tossed into a zoo as examples of ancient Britons.

[Pete44ru]

It seems that Mr. Mancini was fortunate that he also didn't expell flatus - or he probably would additionally been charged with firing gas at that officer !



.

[waz]

If only magistrates had the intestinal fortitude to throw it out on common sense grounds and make the officer pay costs for wasting eveyones' time.

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your nose.

W

[Kansas Ed]

I don't know why people are accusing their system of being so bad...ours is just as bad here. I see this sort of stuff all the time.

Ed